Abstract des Autors

The purpose of this study was to compare variations in free cortisol concentrations associated with exhausting treadmill tests and high level true competitions. The study was performed in 18 top level swimmers (both sexes equally divided, aged 15 to 17 years). Salivary cortisol was analyzed (radioimmunoassay) 30 minutes before and 15 minutes after the competition and was compared with concentrations obtained at the same times of day before and after treadmill tests and during a resting day. Cortisol concentrations in saliva during treadmill tests rose from 4.20+/-1.74 to 7.54+/-4.29 nmols/l in males and from 4.67+/-3.01 to 9.39+/-7.15 nmols/l in females; and during competition from 6.59+/-3.92 to 9.65+/-6.22 nmols/l in males and from 9.53+/-3.96 to 18.83+/-8.25 nmols/l in females. Salivary cortisol was significantly higher before and after competition than before and after the exhausting test, in males and, especially, in females. Females always presented significantly higher cortisol concentrations than males. After the treadmill test and before and after competition cortisol concentrations were significantly higher than at rest. Results suggest that stress related to competition induces high salivary cortisol concentrations and that females present higher responsiveness to cortisol increases than males, at least in the age range studied. The measurement of salivary cortisol appears a simple, precocious and sensitive marker of competition related stress. Verf.-Referat